Chair



Jan. 12, 1943. M DESPRES 2,308,328

CHAIR Filed Oct. 20, 1941 6 lbs Mu M avg-s- Patented Jan. 12, 1943UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE CHAIR Marcel Despres, Grand Rapids, Mich.Application October 20, 1941, Serial No. 415,700

2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to chairs or stools and has referencemore particularly to that type of device which is commonly known as aswivel chair. 7

In devices of this nature in the past it has been common practice toform a great number of the parts of metal, and in departing from thispractice it is one of the objects of the invention to form most of themain parts of wood, plastic or a similar material.

Also in similar devices of this nature it is customary to provide thestructure with a central vertically extending supporting screw which isadjustably mounted in the supporting standard, and this I have alsofound advisable and more economical to form of wood or similar materialrather than metal.

It is also another object of this invention to form substantially all ofthe fastening means for securing the various elements together of woodor similar material thereby practically eliminat ing all of the metalparts from the structure.

It will be evident that in changing these various parts from metal towood or the like certain novel structures have been developed all ofwhich will appear more fully as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and following description set forth in detailcertain means for carryin out my invention, said means constituting,however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the inventionmay be employed.

In said annexed drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to likeparts throughout the vari-' ous views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device of my invention showingcertain parts thereof in sec- 40 position and is taken substantially onthe plane 50 of line 44 in Fig. 1.

It has been indicated that this invention will apply equally as well toswivel chairs or stools and while the device illustrated in the drawinghas been omitted inasmuch as it forms no part of the present invention.

As is usual in structures of this nature I provide a supporting standardwhich includes a plurality of outwardly extending legs i which convergeand are secured to a central block 2, which block is provided with acentral Vertical opening therethrough interiorally threaded.

The vertically extending elongated supporting screw 3 is, in this case,formed of wood, and is exteriorally threaded to adjustably engage withthe central opening in the block 2. The usual lock nut 4 also receivesthe screw 3 and is adapted to lock it in any position to which it hasbeen adjusted. The lock nut here is also intended to be made of wood orthe like.

The upper end of the screw is plane and circular as shown at 5.Immediately below the upper plane end of the screw it is provided withan annular groove 6.

A seat supporting frame is also provided which consists of a pluralityof outwardly extending arms I which converge toward each other and aresecured to a central block 8 which is provided at its lower side with anupwardly extending opening of substantially the same size and shape asthe upper plane end of the screw and is adapted to receive said end andhave a comparatively snug fit therewith. Between the upper end of thescrew and the upper end of the opening in the block 8 a fiber washer 9is located and the upper end of the screw itself may be suitably treatedso that the seat frame may easily rotate thereon.

A split collar I0 is secured to the underside oi the central block 8 andis received within the extending wedge I3 (Figs. 3 and 4).

annular groove 6 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This will permit theseat structure to rotate on the screw and yet prevent its removaltherefrom. Also, the screw may be manually adjusted as to height withoutremoving the seat therefrom.

A seat II is adapted to be secured to the seat frame formed by the armsI at their upper sides, and in order to do this without the aid of anymetallic screws or other means of similar material I have provided aplurality of upwardly extending openings l2 at the underside of theseat, each one of which is provided with a downwardly A pin M which hasa downwardly extending slot [5 at its upper end is adapted to fit withinthe opening l2 and the slot at its center is adapted to receive thewedge l3. The pin I4 is then driven into the opening [2 and the wedge [3will tend to spread apart the split end of the pin to thereby wedge maybe considered as either, the back of the chair it in place within theopening and secure it thereto. As an additional safety means glue may beused to insure a permanent engagement.

Each of the arms 1 is provided with a downwardly extending opening 16 ofsubstantially the same size as the pin I 4 and in alinement with each ofthe openings l2 in the seat. In assembling the seat onto the supportingarms, the pins are inserted in the openings l6 and are glued therein andthe resulting fastening of the seat to the arms will be as shown in Fig.4. The glue aided by the wedging means above described will provide afirm and permanent engagement between the various parts.

If necessary or desirable the same type of connection between the splitcollar l0 and the central block 8 could be utilized, in which case therewould be no metal used in the manufacture of the chair.

In forming the essential parts of a structure of this character entirelyof wood or like material the device is not only quicker and moreeconomical to make, but such chairs as have been made in this manner andfrom this material have been found to operate satisfactorily inpractice.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be usedinstead of the one here described, change being made as regards thestructure herein disclosed provided, however, that the means stated byany of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means beemployed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:

1. In a rotatable chair, a vertical support hav ing a cylindrical upperend provided with a continuous annular groove below the upper end of thesupport, a seat carrier comprising a spider having a central block withseat carrying arms diverging therefrom, said block having a cylindricalopening therein from the lower side of the block upwardly to adjacentthe upper side of the block and with said groove in the vertical supportdisposed at the lower side of the block, and a divided plate collarcomprising arcuate parts with arcuate recesses cut in the inner edges ofsaid parts located against and secured to the under side of the block,each of said parts of the plate collar entering said groove and abearing washer disposed between the upper end of said vertical supportand said block at the upper end of the cylindrical recess therein.

2. A support for a rotatable chair comprising, a seat supporting spiderhaving a. central block provided with an elongated cylindrical recesstherein extending from its lower side upwardly to adjacent the upperside of the block, a vertical support having a. cylindrical upper endreceived in said recess in the block and around which the block mayfreely turn, said support having a horizontal annular groove thereindisposed substantially in the plane of the lower sides of the block anda plate collar made of arcuate parts located against and secured to theunder side of the block having inner edge portions entering said grooveand having recesses in said adjacent edge portions for the passage ofsaid part of the vertical support within the groove, said block bearingagainst the upper end of the support and said collar freely turning insaid groove thereof.

MARCEL DESPRES.

